Whose Game is it anyway?
by Araanaz
Summary: This is a companion story to my H/G Women solidarity, men lost of sanity. You don't need to read it to understand this though. Hermione is playing some kind of game that will probably drive our poor Ron mad...
1. If she wants to play

Whose game is it anyway?

By Araanaz

Here is a companion story to my Harry/Ginny **_Women solidarity, men lost of sanity_**. You don't have to read it to understand this one, but if you like this and want to know what happens next, you'll find it in WSMLOS… when I'll update next. Hope you enjoy this. Please, review!!!!! 

Ron shifted in his sleep. He was having a really weird dream about his mother wanting him to try on hundreds of maroon shirt she had made.

"But maroon looks so good on you!" She said with a strangely masculine voice, she sounded like Harry. "And I'm sure Hermione thinks so…" 

Ron sat straight in his bed. "Huh? What about 'Mione?" He asked, confused. Harry was standing right next to his bed, laughing at him. Ron crossed his arms over his broad chest and pouted. "That is not funny." 

"I think it is!" Harry continued laughing heartily.

"What do you want anyway?" Ron asked, glaring at his friend.

"I'm going outside. Want to come and play quidditch?" The boy proposed, when he finally stopped laughing. 

Ron groaned and let himself fall back against his pillow. "I can't. I promised 'Mione I would let her help me with this bloody potions exam. Can't fail this one or stupid Snape is going to throw me out of his class." 

"Huh-uh, so you're going to spend some precious time alone with her, just the two of you?" Harry teased. What an annoying little brat! Ron felt the familiar blush creeping on his ear. 

"You know very well I would prefer to be out playing quidditch rather than to be in studying this bloody exam! Hell, the weather seems perfect for flying but no I've got to stay inside in a dusty library with…"

"Your ravagingly beautiful best friend." The brat offered.

Ron glared. "Thanks but I would have said something more like my I'm-so-obsessed-over-books-that-I-can't-even-take-advantage-of-such-a-beautiful-day-as-I-prefer-to-study-inside-a-stupid-old-library-rather-than-go-out-and-have-fun of a friend." 

His raven haired friend chuckled. "Okay, see you later then."

Ron looked as Harry left the room and sighed. Why had he gotten himself friends with such freaks? Okay, Harry was generally really fun to be with. He was his best friend. But he was taking just a little too much pleasure into teasing him. Where had he got that idea about Hermione and him anyway? That was bloody ridiculous! He sighed again and reluctantly got himself out of bed.

"Oy!" He winced as his feet touched the floor. "Bloody castle with its bloody freezing floor!" He muttered under his breath before heading to the stairs leading to the common room.

As he got down, he quickly spotted his two freaky friends talking together. Harry turned to him, saying something about telling something to someone. Who cared anyway? He plopped down on the couch next to Hermione.

"Ron!" The girl exclaimed. "You don't suppose you're going to study like that! You look like you just got out of bed!" Bingo!

"That's because I just did, 'Mione." He replied.

"Don't 'Mione me! I told you to be ready at 8." 

Ron rolled his eyes. "But I'm ready." He said exasperatedly.

"No, you're not. You could at least have taken a shower and put on some clothes!" 

Ron nearly missed Harry's departure as the raven boy discretely backed away from the inevitable row. Ron wished he could follow him out. Arguments so early in the morning were not what he preferred. Actually, he preferred them to take place after lunch, when he was fully awaken. But late night bickering was his favourite. He suddenly realised that he hadn't replied to her yet and that she was looking at him strangely, her hands on her hips.

"Huh, you were saying?" He asked.

She sighed and, for a moment, Ron thought she was going to yell at him for not being attentive to her laments. But she didn't. She just smiled at him, waving his question dismissingly.

"That doesn't matter. You know, I'm really glad you accepted my help. That way we can spend some time together, just the two of us." 

If Ron hadn't been sitting already, he would have fallen on his butt. "Huh, yeah." He managed to reply. "Do you still want me to go shower and stuff?" He asked, secretly wishing he could postpone the torture of studying potions for a little longer.

"No, that's okay. Actually I like your hair, all messy, it looks really sexy on you." She reached for him and ran her hand through his hair.

Ron blinked in confusion. Had she just said he was sexy? Sexy? He didn't even know that word was in her vocabulary. Not that he underestimated her cleverness, but still. Sexy? He quickly got up, out of her reach, and backed away toward the staircase.

"I need to get myself, huh, I mean, my things. Be right back." At that he ran up the stairs, to his dorm room, and closed the door behind him, leaning against it. 

What had just happened? Maybe he had overreacted a little. He should have stayed. He should have said something. Like what? 'Thanks, I've always wanted you to say that!' or ''You know, 'Mione, you look gorgeous too.' No that was stupid. He couldn't say something like that to her! She was his best friend. What would she think of him? Yet, she had said something like that to him. What could he do now? He had to get back to her. He quickly got his books and returned to the common room.

Hermione was sitting at her favourite table. She had already opened her books, quill in hands, she was ready to attack the subject. Okay, Ron thought, maybe she just forgot about what just happened and now she is going to act like her good old self again. He went to her and took a seat next to her. She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling like she was really excited about something. Could she enjoy studying that much?

"Ready." He announced.

"Very well, Ron, but are you sure you're feeling okay? I mean, you seem all tensed." She got up from her seat and sauntered up to him. She had that incredible look on her face and her eyes were glittering like mad. She wetted her lips lightly.

"Huh, Mione?" He asked cautiously. His heart was pounding like crazy. What was she doing getting so close to him?

"Don't worry Ron, I'm going to take care of you." She let out lowly in his ear. Her breath on his neck made him shiver.

"Erg?" He blurted out.

She, slowly, agonisingly, began to massage his shoulders. Ron's breath caught in his throat. He quickly glanced around, but nobody else was there. There were just the both of them, alone. Him and Hermione. And she was there, running her hands on him, stroking him, squeezing him gently. And it felt so good. Ron allowed himself to close his eyes for a moment. He was slowly drifting to another world. It was then that it happened. Her hands made their way up to the bare skin of his neck. Ron's eyes shot open widely. Gently, hers finger tangled with the short hair on his nape before her nails grazed their way down again. Ron's whole body started shivering. He titled his head forward and she repeated her little manage. Ron subconsciously let out a soft moan.

"Are you enjoying this?" She murmured in his ear. Hell, yes! He was enjoying it very much actually. Her hands on him felt wonderful and he wanted more of them, he wanted to feel them everywhere on his body. Suddenly he froze.

"Hermione?" He asked in a husky voice.

"Yeees?" She sang back. Oh bloody hell! That was Hermione! He had almost forgotten that! That wasn't right. That couldn't be right. He jumped out of his seat, facing her, his eyes wide. She was there, in front of him, smirking. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"I…" The portrait hole rolled open to let Harry in. Thanks to Merlin, he was safe! "Harry!" He cried out before running to him. Harry gave him a weird look. "Harry, I swear, don't go there. Hermione has gone bloody mad!" He prevent his friend, trying to control himself so that Hermione wouldn't hear him.

Harry sighed in what seemed to be relief. Relief? Only Harry could act so bloody strange in crisis time. "What happened? Got into another row?" The raven haired boy smirked.

"No! That's worst! I am not joking Harry, she is acting all weird."

Harry frowned. There, at least he had stopped smirking! What was there to smirk about anyway?

"What… what kind of strange things was she doing?" The raven haired boy asked, seemingly uncomfortable, playing with the collar of his shirt.

"Hum…" Ron felt his whole face starting to burn. "What kind huh? She was, well, she…" He stuttered.

"Come on Ron, spit it out!" Harry pressed him.

"Well, she was kind of looking like she was trying to, huh, seduce me?" Ron finally blurted out. He saw Harry biting his lower lip, trying very hard not to laugh. "I know, it sounds ridiculous, but you should have seen her! I don't know what had got into her!" He quickly added, trying to save the appearances.

"Ron…" Harry began, but Ron stopped him.

"You don't believe me?" He asked fiercely.

"Yes, Ron, I believe you. Actually, I have no difficulty believing that. But that is not the point. You're not the only one with this, huh, problem." Ron raised an eyebrow inquisitively. Not the only one? What was he talking about? "Dean told me something about Lavender this morning." Ron rolled his eyes. Like that was something new… "And, there is Ginny…"

"What about Ginny?" Ron quickly recovered his seriousness. "Don't tell me she tried to seduce someone." Harry's gaze went down. No, that couldn't be! "Who? Tell me who." Ron ordered harshly. He was ready to go and beat the hell out of this guy.

"Me." Harry replied in a very low voice. Ron could just stare at him in shock. Ginny, his baby sister, was trying to seduce his best friend? That was ridiculous! Yet again, it all made sense. Ginny had always fancied Harry. A grin spread across Ron's face when he saw the poor boy finally glancing back at him.

"Well, it's good to hear that my sister has finally make up the nerve to go after the man of her dream." Ron said. He couldn't help but laugh at this. And Harry was looking so confused. That was just hilarious.

"So you're not going to strangle me?" Harry asked, sounding quite dumbfounded.

"Why would I? You're my best friend. If you're good enough for me, than I guess you can take good care of her." Ron stated.

"Well, it's great to have your blessings, but who says I'm interested?" Harry asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Ron imitated the move, knowing perfectly well he was looking way more intimidating with his few more inches than Harry.

"A Weasley never fails at seducing someone. It's all about our famous red hair charm." Ron replied matter-of-factly. He grinned proudly.

"Anyway, I think we have to find out what's going on with the girls. If they have planned this together, I swear they're going to drive us mad." Harry said.

"Yes, when there is women solidarity, men lose their sanity!" The two boys laughed at this, as the headed, with a silent agreement, out of the common room and to the Great Hall for lunch.

"So, are you?" Ron asked as they went down the stairs.

"What!?!"

"Interested in my sister, are you?" Ron grinned at him, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, sod off, Weasley!"

To be continued…

He he… I know, there were parts that were quite the same as in WSMLOS but, what can I say, this is like, the same story, but from Ron's POV. I really hope this will satisfy the R/Hr fans out there. Actually, writing this is quite a satisfaction for me 'cause, well, I'm just so obsessed with this couple. It's my favourite. And Ron's the best! Go Ron go!


	2. Two can play it

"Mister Potter, I see some terrible things for you." 

"I am going to die, right?"

"Yes, you will, my poor poor boy. Oh, and it's going to be horrible. So much pain and I see it is going to happen… now." Ron straightened up, the Trelawney performance being totally over, and let a playful grin slowly spread on his lips. He saw the confusion flashed into his best friend's green eyes, which only make the situation funnier to Ron.

"Huh?" Harry asked.

"Don't turn around Harry, just keep on eating. Ginny's coming our way." Ron finally explained and he could swear he saw his friend's body tensed up. But, unfortunately for his own enjoyment, his sister went past them without a word and took a seat at the other end of the table, right next to Lavender.

"Wow, that was a close shave!" Ron sighed in disappointment. Harry sighed too, in what must have been relief. But, then, Ginny totally disappeared from his thought when a familiar voice came ringing through his ears.

"Hey Harry!" Hermione was standing behind him, but he didn't dare to look at her. "Ron." She added. Ron felt himself get incredibly hot and a big lump formed in his throat. He gulped with difficulty.

"Hey Hermione." Harry replied.

"Do you mind if I don't eat with you two today?" She asked casually. Not eating with them? Ron snapped back to reality.

"Who are you eating with?" He inquired fiercely. Had she met someone? A new guy?

"Not that it is any of your business, Ron, but I'm eating with Ginny, Lavender and eventually Parvati." She answered matter-of-factly.

Ron restrained himself from showing his relief. Girls. Everything was okay. Not that he would have been jealous, or anything, it was just that he, and Harry, were her best friends, and he, and Harry, were the ones she ate with everyday, and he, and Harry, were the ones she spent the most time with, and he was the one she was supposed to prefer. "You don't usually hang out with them." Ron simply stated back.

"Well, now I do. Does that cause a problem to you? Maybe you would prefer for the two of us to go eat together in a dark corner, all alone?" She smiled, cocking an eyebrow. Ron sucked in his breath and bit his lips very hard. What kind of magic was she using against him?

"No, that's okay. Go on." He told her in an unusually high voice.

He then watched her make her way to the other girls. Hell, what was she doing to him? The irritating sound of his best friend's sneering brought him out of his thoughts. He glared at him. 

"I can go eat with someone else if you want." Harry teased and Ron would have done anything to ripe that bloody grin off of his face.

"Yeah, go eat with my sister. I'm sure she'd be glad." He spat back. Harry stopped grinning. Good. Now, who had a reason to think things were funny, huh? He saw Harry take a quick glance at Ginny. Ron crossed his arms over his chest and smirked.

"Okay, fine, no more teasing." Harry finally groaned. "We're in the same clan."

The two boys quietly and quickly finished up their meal and went up to their common room. There, they met Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan who, after an overly dramatic introduction, told them that they were experiencing problems with girls too (those girls being, of course, no other than Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil). In Ron's mind, there was no doubt: it was a scheme. One girl acting weird was totally natural. Two could be a coincidence. And, as three was beginning to be suspicious, four was just too much! It had to be a scheme! And if the girls were plotting to get them to crawl at their feet, like Dean kindly put it, then they were not to let them win this little game.

"If they want to play that game, they'll learned that two can play it very well." Ron announced, letting a devilish smirk spread on his lips. 

__

(If you want to know more about what happen in that scene, you'll have to check out Women solidarity, men lost of sanity part 3 'cause it's got the whole version. I just didn't want to repeat everything for it might be boring for those who read both stories.)

Later that night, after Ron had convinced the three guys to follow his lead and play back full force against the girls, our favourite red head found his way to the library. Not that he wanted to read, or study, or anything of that sort. He just felt that it would be the exact place where he would find Hermione. She wouldn't be expecting him so none of her little tricks would have been planned. Surprise was always the best strategy… 

But, as Ron entered the library and spotted his brown haired friend, sitting at her favourite table, reading another thick book, his courage flinched a little. And when he saw her biting her lower lip in concentration as he got nearer, he felt himself loose a bit of his strength. And when she innocently brought her index finger to her lips, and he saw the tip of her pink tongue ran on that finger to get it moistened before turning the page, he knew he would be brave enough. This was all stupid. Guys were doomed. If girls wanted them to crawl, then be it. So he just stood there, staring at her, totally frozen in action.

That was until she raised her eyes to meet his. He felt a familiar blush creep up his ear. Her face lighted up when she saw him and she smiled at him brightly, waving at him to come over and sit with her. As for courage or any other part of his strategy, it was all lost in the bliss of his mind as he dumbly went to her and plopped on the chair beside her.

"Hey 'Mione." He let out feebly.

"Ron! That is so great to have you here without having to actually drag you in. What subject are you working on? I don't see any books with you. You haven't found what you were looking for? I can help you if you want, I'm used to library research." She said in a low voice, but that hardly hid her excitement.

"Hum… " Now he was caught. He couldn't escape. He would have to study. "What subject, huh? Well, I… I wanted to work on, huh, my… my divination assignment." Bingo! That was the only subject Hermione could not help him with. And she hated divination.

"Oh." She replied, rolling her eyes. "But don't you usually do them with Harry? I know you two always make up ridiculous stories for Professor Trelawney, which you should not do, but I guess it's all right since she actually believes it all. I mean, what an incompetent. I can't believe they keep her here." Hermione kept rambling about Professor Trelawney and her incompetence. Ron grinned. "Anyway, what were you looking for in here and where's Harry?" She asked at the end of her speech. The grin on Ron's face faded away.

"Harry's busy. He's, huh, working on something he has trouble with in herbalogy." Ron lied pitifully. But Hermione seemed to buy it.

"He should ask Ginny. I know she's not in the same class, but she's really good at it." She stated back. Was she testing him, or something?

"I guess so." He cautiously replied.

"And I think they should spend more time together. They fit so well." She smiled. That was weird.

"Huh, Hermione? Are you okay? 'Cause it's not very like you to talk about girly stuff like that." Ron frowned.

"Well, I'm a girl and, that, I know you noticed, even if it was only one year ago." She replied half-grudgingly, half-teasingly. Ron cleared his throat and adjust the collar of his shirt. Was it him or it was getting very hot in there? "But, Ron, maybe I should be the one asking that question. Are you okay? You really seem tensed these days. Do you want me to massage you again?" She added not so innocently. She raised an eyebrow and Ron noticed that she was fighting against a grin. 

She was doing it again. And Ron had two options: run away or melt. But, then, suddenly, something really unexpected happened. Ron leaned on the table and reached for her hand with his. He gently squeezed it while saying: "It's very nice of you to be concerned like that for me, Hermione, but, don't worry, I'll be fine as long as you're near me." And he laid back in his seat, heart pounding, as he saw the effect of his new found courage plastered on her pretty face. She was blushing. Victory! Cried his head. That was something to be proud of, and it hadn't even been that hard. 

'Oh, now I think we're on for the game!' He thought and a mad grin spread on his face as he got up and left, leaving her in a very confused state.

To be continued…

Feed me with reviews please!!!! I'm craving for those!


	3. Books are evil

Hey there!  Yeah, I know, it took me long enough… But my bloody computer got sick with a big bad virus.  Okay, maybe you can put it on my laziness too… Anyway, sorry for the delay and I hope this will make up for it all.  Please, review!

Chapter 3 

"Lavender kissed me." Dean blurted out.  The testosterone squad, consisting on Ron, Harry, Seamus and, obviously, Dean, had gathered in the empty common room during lunch time to discuss important matter, or to be more specific: girl's trouble.  "Not that is was the first time." Dean went on, blushing slightly. "But this time she just did it and then left. That was weird, I mean, usually we spend time together… talking. She always wants me to talk about my feelings and stuff like that. But yesterday she just kissed me and left. I was wondering if I had done it wrong, but when she saw me this morning, she smiled and winked at me."

"Parvati kissed me too." Seamus continued. "For a long time." He smiled dreamily. "And it was getting really good but she left. Like this, all of a sudden, she just left me. That's confusing."

Ron listened to his friends' stories with a raised eyebrow. "What's with the girls and the kiss-and-leave stuff?" He exclaimed. "Not that it happened to me, but…" He turned to look at Harry and frowned.  His best friend looked like he just…  Ha, could this be? "What Harry, you look like you just sucked on a lemon. Has Ginny kissed you?"  He inquired, trying very hard to restrain the grin already spreading on his face.

"Huh…" Harry cleared his throat and blushed madly.  So that was it?  That was it.  His little sister had finally made up the nerve to get into actions and, from what it appeared, she had swept the poor boy away.  Typical!  That was the Weasley charm. "Anyway, what happened with you and Hermione?" Harry quickly changed the subject. 

Ron felt a fire of excitement and, okay, he had to admit, pride was big part of it, rose through him.  He smiled wildly. "I played back.  She was so stunned that she couldn't pronounce a word. Imagine, Hermione speechless. That doesn't happen every day. Anyway, I left before she could recover."  He stated coolly.  

"What did you say to her?" Dean inquired incredulously.

Pride once again.  "Nothing much. It's just the way I said it. I took her hand and looked at her in the eyes…" Ron watched the reactions of the others spread over their face.  Admiration?  Probably.  But it was enough detail for them.  "But, Harry, you said you had something to tell me and, since you don't want to talk about Ginny kissing you (insert grin here), I suppose it is something else."

The boys all turned to Harry expectantly.

"First, I've got to say: we were right. Girls are up to something and they are plotting together." Harry let out in a breath.  He then proceeded to explain what he had heard.  It was all a big scheme to make them, member of the masculine gender, go crazy and crawl… They even had some sort of book in which they found, huh, rules, or something like that.  Must have been Hermione's idea!  Who else would have brought a book in this all?  Now, that was only one more proof than books were evil!

"I knew it!" Dean exclaimed.

"Yeah, but, somehow, I don't really care about the slug state anymore." Seamus mumbled quietly.  The poor idiot was blushing madly, almost hiding his head between his legs.  Ron couldn't believe his friend was such a coward.

"No! We can't let that happen! We have to fight for our dignity." He stated back in indignation.

"You go fight. That's your thing. I'll just enjoy the kissing." Seamus replied.

"That's ridiculous! She can't be that good! Not enough to reduce your pride to the state of a slave. I mean, what are you? We're Griffindor men, we're supposed to be brave!" Ron could feel his inside burn.  Ridiculous, they were all bloody cowards.

Fortunately, Harry came to the rescue.  Good old Harry, hero in all situation.  "Look, I think what we need strategies." Harry started carefully. "The girls have a book. I don't know exactly what it is, but there are rules in it, telling them how to act or something of the sort. We can't just fight, to use Ron's word, without weapons."

"So, you're saying that we need swords…"

Ron looked at Seamus in pure  desperation.  Could he be any more dense?

"No, Seamus, not swords. It was a metaphor." Dean rolled his eyes.

"I knew that. I just meant it in a metaphoric kind of way…" Seamus quickly covered his mistake.

Ron let out a little sigh before shrugging it away.  Was there anything that could be done for these guys?  "Strategies, rules… Hell, Harry, you're sounding like Hermione!" 

"And I'm sure you like that." Harry pointed out.  Ron felt blood rushed to his face.  Damn Potter!  I'll get you back for this… But before he had time to think of anything else, Harry went on.  "We have to figure out what we can do to affect them the way they do to us."

After thirty minutes of hard thinking and brainstorming, the four of them finally came out with a full list of… 4 things?  

Harry cleared his throat before reading aloud: "Girls like mushy things.  Girls want attention.  Girls always complain about guys being dumb, slow and pig-headed, so girls must like when guys are smart, quick and, huh, not pig-headed.  Girls like compliments."

"So that's it?"  Ron asked, hoping they had found more then these 4 conclusions.

"We're pathetic."  Harry sighed in reply.  So there wasn't more… And Ron could only agree with Harry: they were pathetic.

That night, our four guys went to bed really early.  What else was there to do?  Oh, they could have spent the whole evening trying to improve their list, if it could even be called that way, but somehow they knew it wouldn't help.  No, a good night sleep seemed the best solution for the moment.  Maybe one of them would come out with something the next morning.

But, lying in his bed, Ron couldn't seem to get his rest.  He was tossing, and tossing, and, when he heard Seamus echo his every move with a big sigh, he knew he had to stop.  He quietly got up, picked up Harry's invisibility cloak and tip-toed out of his dorm, not wanting to be a nuisance to his friends' sleep, or more specifically not wanting to come face to face with a tired and most probably very irritated Seamus in the morning.  Anyway, a nice little walk around the grounds would probably help him.  He went down the stairs to the common room just in time to see Hermione go out of the portrait hole.  Where was she going?  Wasn't it late?  Ron looked at the big clock beside the fireplace.  Oh, really, it wasn't that late!  School wasn't even closed yet (because, now, everyone knew that doors were locked at night, from midnight to 7 in the morning, with special spells that could only be reversed by the professors, and them only.  Supposedly, they had noticed some students were wandering around the school at night…)

Ron decided to follow Hermione, wherever she was going, which was most probably the library.  He put on the invisibility cloak and walked behind her, adjusting his steps to hers so she wouldn't hear him.  Few minutes later, Ron had to grin as he noticed that they were, indeed, going into Hermione's favourite place.  So predictable!

"Don't worry, I won't be long.  I just need a book and I already know exactly where it is."  He heard Hermione declared in a hushed tone to the old librarian.  The old lady made a face but didn't say anything, preparing herself to leave.  It was almost curfew time, but she must have been used to Hermione and her incessant need of yet another book.

Hermione made her way to the back of the library, directly to her favourite table.  Ron knew she liked this particular table because it was so deep into the library that nobody even cared to come this far.  No other place was this silent and calm.  And you could do anything you wanted there, without anybody to notice… Ron smirked.  He slowly approached her as she started rummaging through a big pile of books.  She picked up one book and sighed loudly in relief.  Ron frowned.  This book, could this be 'the' book?  He leaned over her shoulder and tried to read, but his chin accidentally brushed the bare skin at the angle of her neck and shoulder.  She gasped and turned around briskly, eyes wide.  Ron stepped back, tripped on the cloak and fell to the ground, uncovered and exposed.  Oups…

 "For Merlin's sake, Ron, what are you doing here?" Hermione let out in a breath.  Her hands had flew to her heart in a gesture of pure shock.  Ron chuckled at that.

"What, 'Mione, you're not happy to see me?  I thought it'd be nice for us to spend time together…" He said to her, laughing inwardly.  Better make the best out of this situation.  He was going to give her a hard time.  And he was so going to enjoy it…

"What, here?"  She asked incredulously.

"Why not?  I had a great time last time I was here with you…"  He smirked, clearly referring to that famous play-back thing.  Now, how was she going to react to that?

"Oh…" Ron saw something flashed through her eyes and then she smiled.  "Well, I'm glad to hear that."  She sauntered up to him, eying him strangely.  No, she was not going to… She licked her lips.  Damn, she was!  Ron moved slightly, changing his weight from one foot to the other.  Reaction was needed, and quick, before she… "Then, I think I'll take you on your offer.  I mean, here and now seems the very best occasion for us to spend time together… alone."  At this point of her speech, she had reached him and was now standing awfully close to him.  She tilted her head and batted her eyelashes.  "Just the two of us."

Ron swallowed with difficulty.  She was good.  Why did she have to be so bloody good?  She trailed a finger down his chest and it took him all his self-control not to groaned at the sensation.  Man, get a grip on yourself!  That's only one finger… Imagine what she could do with her whole hand, her two hands, her whole body… No, actually, don't imagine that.

"Hermione," He started, clearing his throat.  "I think it's almost curfew time."  Damn, was that the only bloody reply he could have found?

"Oh, sure, almost…"  She smiled, before leaning against him and murmuring into his ear: "We still have time."  A shiver ran though Ron's body.  So close, she was so close… But she wasn't done with him it seemed.  He felt her breath tickled his neck as she moved, her hands came to rest upon his shoulders, and her lips brushed his chin lightly before gracefully landing on his own.  She was kissing him!

Ron's brain started working at full pace.  Do something, you idiot!  His lips finally obeyed him and followed Hermione's lead.  It was sweet.  Their first kiss.  It was felt like the tickling of a feather on his lips, a candy feather that tasted even better than his favourite Honeydukes treats all together.

"Mmm." He heard Hermione moaned as they lips went apart.  He didn't want to open his eyes yet.  The feelings were still so intense on him.  But, then, he felt Hermione step back from him.  What was she doing?  Where was she going?  Ron's eyes snapped open just in time to see her readying herself to leave.  The kiss-and-leave stuff… She was not going to pull that one on him, was she?

"Oh no, you're not!"  He stated firmly and, in a quick movement, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back against him.  

She gasped.  "Ron!"

"I know exactly what you're up too, but there's no way I'm letting you."  His arms snaked around her waist and in a swift motion, he swept her off her feet and pushed her against a table.  A big pile of books tumbled down to the floor.  But who cared?  His lips crushed on hers with the violence of passion.

To be continued…


	4. From midnight to 7

Love sucks… Really, it does.  But, oh well, I can always remain single for the rest of my life and enjoy myself in the imaginary world where Ron is with Hermione, Ginny is with Harry and I am with Legolas… Mmm… Orlando Bloom.   Okay, I admit, Sean Biggerstaff is not that bad either.  But he's a tad bit young for me.  Anyway, I want to dedicate this chapter to my baby sister because I just love the way you review.  So bloody funny!  Keep it on and maybe, just maybe, I'll give you some Music and Life.

Chapter 4 

His lips crushed on hers with the violence of passion and he heard her gasp.  This had to be a good sign and Ron had his confirmation when he felt Hermione's hands sneak up along his chest to his neck and pull him closer.  Her lips came apart and the tip of her tongue slowly played against his bottom lip.  Ron groaned lowly and pushed her a bit more against the table, just enough so that she would have no choice but to sit on it.  Her legs went apart as she did and he instantly took the occasion to step forward, closing the distance between them, pushing himself against her.  Her legs circled him as he offered his own tongue to battle with hers.  The sweet first kiss was over, now this was getting to something else… 

It took Ron a few minutes to realize he had forgotten to breath through it all.  Hands still on Hermione's face, he pulled his lips from her, throwing his head backward, breathing heavily.  When his lungs were restored of all the oxygen needed, he brought his head back to her level and looked at her.  She was smiling like the Mona Lisa, looking back at him with this intense gaze.

"So, you know exactly what I'm up to, right?"  She teased him, one hand going to his chest and tugging at the first button of his pyjama top while the other was playing with the hair of his nape.  Ron drew a sharp breath in and nodded, not trusting his voice to speak clearly.  "And you won't let me, right?"  She asked again.  Ron nodded again.  Her little game was hypnotizing.  The way her fingers kept playing with that bloody button, those rhythmic circles on his nape, and her so wonderful lips… the way they pouted ever so slightly as she spoke to him.  What was she talking about anyway?  He wouldn't let her do what exactly?  Undo this bloody button and all the others?  That, he would let her.  Undress him and have her way with him?  Most definitely, he would let her do that too.  

There, she was talking again, but now he could understand a word of what she was saying.  Some stuff about control and crawling but it didn't matter.  He tilted his head and brushed his lips on the soft skin of her neck.  Silence.  Good, she had stopped babbling.  He resumed his path of butterfly kisses of her neck and all her talking transformed into soft moans.  Gently, he brushed her hair away and she tilted her head, allowing him better access.  And wasn't she shivering?

"You cold?"  He asked from his position on her neck.

"Nuh-huh…" She nodded slightly.  "Quite the contrary."

Ron ran a finger along her collarbone and down her side to her waist.  She arched her back encouragingly has his skin came in contact with hers and he tentatively slid his hand under her shirt.

"Ron!"  She gasped.

"Sorry."  He instantly retired his hand and stepped away.  Whoops, maybe he had gone to far.  But, bloody hell, how was he supposed to know what to do or when to stop?  It wasn't like he had lots of experience.  And Hermione was driving all those sensations all over him.

"No, I'm sorry.  It's just that, well, I guess I didn't expect things to go so fast."  She looked down.  "I just wanted to kiss you and now we're…"

Ron fought the urge to run to her and hold her in his arms.  Contact was the issue.  So he stood there and asked: "Do you want to stop?"

"No!  I mean, I don't know.  I'm confused."  She admitted, getting up and soothing down her skirt.  "Maybe we should go back to the Griffindor Tower."

Ron was nodding in agreement when he heard a loud noise fill the library.  Twelve bells.  It was midnight.  Ron only had time to shot a worried glance at Hermione before they heard a series of little clicks confirming what they already knew would happen.  The locking spell.  They were locked inside the library.

"Ron!  We have to get out of here."  Hermione let out in a panicked tone.

"I'm afraid we can't Mione, not until 7 in the morning."  Ron replied.

"But we have to do something!  We can't stay here.  It's against the rules, we are going to get into so much troubles if we get caught."  She took her wand out and ran to the front door.  Ron didn't even bother to follow her.  Special spell only reversible by teachers.  Few minutes later, she was back and, by the look on her face, she had indeed not been successful.  "What are we going to do now?"  She asked in defeat.

Ron smiled reassuringly.  "Don't worry Mione, it's not that bad.  At least you're not locked with Malfoy, or Moaning Myrtle.  And we won't get caught 'cause nobody ever comes in here at night.  It's locked."

"But what are we going to do tomorrow when they open the doors.  We can't just show up saying sorry we got locked in the library because we were snogging so hard last night that we lost track of time."  Was that sarcasm in her voice?

"No."  Ron replied matter-of-factly.  "We'll use the invisibility cloak, of course."  There, this seemed to reassure her because she was now smiling.

"Thanks."  She said, throwing her arms around him and hugging him.  She easily became emotional.  Not that he would complain…

"So, now that we're stuck in here for all night long, how are we going to spend our time?"  Ron tried to ask casually but he was torn between his own desire and, okay he had to admit it, a certain need to tease her a bit.  Night-time bickering was always the best.

"Ron, I'm not ready to… you know."  Now that was a serious answer.

"I know."  He said back softly.  But did that mean that, sometime, maybe soon, she would be ready to… with him?  Trumpets started cheering in his head as he added: "Don't worry about it."  She smiled and made her way to him, kissing him softly on the lips.  "So, do you want to play chess?"  He asked, needing to cool down things for a while, at least long enough for his mind and body to return in normal mode.

"Okay."  She agreed.  "But only if you let me win."

"We'll see about that."

Time flew by and after three games of wizard chess (concluded by Hermione's realisation that Ron would never let her win) they set themselves on a couch.  Hermione laid her head on Ron's lap and they stayed this way for a while, Ron absentmindedly playing with her hair as she told him stories about things of others things she read until they both fell asleep.

They woke up the next morning at the clicking sound of the locking spell being reversed.  Ron groaned and got up, looking around for Hermione and finding her already holding the invisibility cloak, ready to leave.

"Hurry up, we have to leave."  She ordered in a hushed tone.

"Morning to you too, Mione."  Ron grumbled back, stumbling his way to her.  He never was a morning person.  She quickly covered them with the cloak and pushed him toward the exit.  Ron sighed.  Seems she not the morning kind either, bossy bird.

"Ron! I can't believe you. You know how much trouble you could have got us into?" Hermione exclaimed as they finally made it out of the library, fortunately unseen and safe.

"Oh, come on, 'Mione, it is not entirely my fault, is it? I mean, if we were gone when I said it was late, we wouldn't have been stuck there all night."  Ron stated back.  He hated referring to that bloody comment of him, but it was his only weapon.

"Well, if you and Harry had not been running around the school playing tricks for the last few years, they wouldn't be locking the doors with special spells."  Hermione fought back fervently.

"And if they wouldn't be using special spells we would had get out of there and nothing that happened tonight would have happened. We'd never…"

"Oh shut up, Ron."

They made their way to the Griffindor tower in silence.  Ron was grinning from ear to ear and he could have sworn, when he glanced at Hermione, that she was smiling too.  Early bickering was always the solution to lighten morning moods.

To be continued…

Now, I'm so happy to be done with this chapter.  It was fun to write but I just couldn't wait to post it and know what you think about it.  Please review.  You know, I think I'm going to create a new foundation: the HWAR or Help for Writer Avid of Reviews.  I would be a nice president for that one, considering that this cause holds my heart.  Please donate review and help the cause…


	5. Of monkeys and ferret

I'm a slow updater… I know.  But I hope this will be worth the wait.  This is dedicated to my baby sister because she's doing a great job with my kitchen walls.  And also because she always seems happy when I tell her I wrote more of this.  Special thank you to Allie for the brilliant idea you gave me.  And, yes, I intend on updating the other one Women and men soon…

Enjoy!

Chapter 5

When Ron made it back to his dormitory, he was greeted by three of his fellow classmates, two grinning madly and a third one looking very confused.  Ron frowned, making his way to his part of the room in silence.

"So…"  Began the first grinning monkey.  "Had a nice sleep, Ron?"

"Yeah, I sincerely hope whatever you slept on wasn't too, huh, cold…" The second orangutan added.

"Huh?" Concluded the still confused third one.

Ron rolled his eyes but couldn't help the tip of his ears already turning red.  Dean and Seamus were snickering like mad, oblivious to the fact that poor Neville did not understand what was so funny.

"Oh, sod off…" Ron grumbled, hiding his head into his trunk, looking for something decent to wear.  "Nothing happened.  I came up here with you yesterday night, don't you remember that?  We all went to bed right after conceding that we knew nothing about girls."

The two boys glanced at each other and smiled.  "Yeah, and the reason you were not in your bed this morning, snoring like you usually do, is because you decided to get up early and go run around the school grounds in your pyjamas.  That's it?"  Dean asked, his voice stinking sarcasm.

"That, or you know more about girls than you want us to believe…"  Seamus followed in his best Watson self.

"Huh, anyone cares telling me what's going on?"  Neville interrupted the two gossip detective.

"Don't bother Neville, it's nothing, really.  Those two there are just jealous."  Ron sighed, heading for the door with his blue shirt still unbuttoned, robes in hands.

Last thing he heard before the door closed behind him: "Ah-ha!  So there IS something to be jealous about!"

Those two were idiots.

Making his way down to the great hall for breakfast, he finally managed to get himself correctly dressed.  Hermione was already there, dressed and fresh as if she was just out of the shower.  How did she do it?  A spell, of course.  He had to learn that one… She smiled at him and patted the seat next to her.

"Good morning Ron!"  A chorus of feminine voices echoed as he sat down at the Gryffindor table.  He looked up only to see Lavender and Parvati batting their eyelashes at him.  Very disturbing, indeed.  He decided to ignore them.

"Anything eatable there?"  He asked casually.  Food was the best casual topic one could find in those circumstances.

"Depends."  Hermione replied slowly.  She glanced at him and smile sweetly before turning her attention back to her food.  "Has your night made you hungry?"

Ron's eyes grew wide.  A blush crept up his face and he nearly chocked.  "W-what?"  He let out incredulously.

Hermione giggled softly.  "Oh come on, Ron…"  She teased.  "You were the one who insisted on playing this game with me."

Ron opened his mouth a few times before words actually made their way out.  "We need to talk…"  Damn, wasn't that the girl's line?  Just play back!  Why couldn't he just play back?

"I agree."  She stated back.  "But not now."

And there came Harry and Ginny.  Or more specifically Harry, with Ginny on his heels.  

"Hey there!"  The bloke greeted them.  Ron turned to him and smiled.  Casual.  Explanations would come later… on both parts.  Where was he anyway when he had come back to the dorm this morning?

"Hi Harry!"  Hermione said back.  "And Ginny."  She added with a mischievous glint in her eyes.  The girl was certainly a bad influence for her sister… On was it the inverse?  Virginia Weasley had never been the sweet and innocent child she appeared to be, after all…

The new comers sat down. 

"So, where have you two been?"  Ron asked innocently.  "It took you both long enough to come down.  I almost thought you'd found something better to do."

A grin spread on his face.  Harry looked like he wanted to strangled him with his, huh, eggs… Was that even possible?

"Well, seems that 'you' found something better to do than sleep last night.  I reckon you did not spend the night into our dorm."  The git raised an eyebrow inquisitively.  Ron felt himself blush to the root of his hair and heard Hermione chock on her piece of toast.  Ron had to stroke her back and give her some pumpkin juice to get her to finally breath normally.  

"Don't get wrong ideas."  Ron muttered under his breath, still very much red in the face.

"I would never.  I mean, I didn't know Hermione didn't spend the night in her dorm as well…"  Now maybe was the perfect time to verify if eggs were good weapons to murder your best friend.  But then, Hermione was calling for his attention and he never got the chance to try it out, nor could he hear what his sister was so lovingly murmuring in his so-called best friend's ear.

"Don't worry.  Ginny will take care of the torture."  Hermione smiled.

"The same way you did to me?"  Ron was afraid to ask.

"Mmm… Knowing Harry, I think he will suffer a bit more."

Charms class was long and boring.  Lavender and Parvati kept giggling.  Dean and Seamus kept snickering.  Neville kept snoring.  Harry seemed lost into space, or into another world where Ron's sister was wearing leopard fashion underwear… Insert shudder here.  As for Hermione, she was, as always, very concentrated on the class.  Her facial expression was serious and she kept on biting her lower lip as her eyes scanned the book she was studying.

Wait a minute… That book, could it be…?  No way!  Not that bloody book!

"Now, kids, we will try our new found knowledge with a team work."  Professor Flitwick exclaimed, as much as his old self was able to exclaim.  "This will be very interesting.  Now, please, find yourself a good partner, someone you will be able to work efficiently with."  Now was the proof he was definitely getting too old.  Never trust students when it comes to work.  Ron was already eying his two best friends when he heard the old loony add: "Teams of two."

Teams of two?  What was that supposed to mean?  It was always the three of them together.  Well, most of the time.  When he wasn't alone with Hermione.  But that wasn't the point.  The three of them looked at each other, hesitating.  Ron would have most definitely opted to take Harry as his partner if this one hadn't winked at him, running away.  The traitor.  He would have to be confronted about this little scene at breakfast… But that would have to wait because the feline Hermione was now making her way to him.  He breathed in deeply.  What had she read in her crazy-making bible this time?  Look at him with hungry eyes?  Lick your lips, swing your hips and he'll be yours?  Well, that was working!  Damn…

'Classroom, homework, Flitwick…'  He had to repeat that mantra to remain cool.  Who said girls had to be witches to have magical powers?  Or maybe it was because, as a matter of fact, she was such an incredible witch.

"Ron…"  She laid her hand on top of his.

'Maroon, gnomes, ghoul in the attic…'

"Seems like it's going to be just the two of us… once again."  Ron gulped.  What was going on with him?  Hadn't he been the one leading them through passion yesterday?  What had changed?  She was still Hermione, his best friend.  Hermione, his crush.  The same girl he had belched up slugs for in second years, the same girl he had kissed just the night before.  They had even slept together… Sleep being the key word here.  So what had changed?

He didn't know where he stood.  That was the different thing.  He always knew how to act and react around her.  Sure, most of the time, he got her mad, but that was part of the fun…  But now, he just didn't know.  Was their relationship changed?  Were they supposed to be like a couple?  Was he allowed to kiss her whenever he wanted to, in front of everyone?  He didn't know.  And she was acting as if she didn't want him to figure it out.  

Then a fact occurred to him.  That book.  It was the source of all his troubles.  Without it, Hermione would go back to normal.  And with a normal Hermione, he could manage to regain some control… Plus, there was a big improvement: he now knew she had some kind of non-platonic interest for him.  That, he could do real fine with.  But before anything, he had to steal the book!

Steal the book, take it away from her, he had to destroy it!  But not before reading it from cover to cover a couple of times in order to comprehend the mechanism of female seduction and try to elaborate a strategy to resist it.  Well, that seemed like a plan!

He was so busy plotting he never heard Hermione explain to him what the new charm they were supposed to try was about.  It was to his extreme surprise that he suddenly found himself floating in midair, a few feet above his desk.

"Aaah!  What is going on?"  He yelled as his body swung in the air, with nothing around for him to hold on to.

"Excellent!  Very excellent indeed, Miss Granger.  Ten points to Gryffindor for assimilating the technique so quickly."  Professor Flitwick jubilated.  Hermione's cheeks tinted with that proud rosy colour.

As cute as this could be, Ron just had to interrupt the moment.  "Can I get down now?"  

"As you please."  Hermione smiled sweetly, waving her wand to bring his feet back to the ground, just next to her.  Very very close to her, in fact.  "Bet you can't make me float the way I do to you."  She murmured and her breath on his skin made his hair stand up.  Or was it the way she had raised her eyebrow in challenge.

"Bet I did just yesterday night… And I can do it again."  He whispered back and it was finally her turn to blush and stutter.

The end of the class rang on this moment of triumph.  Winner of this round: Ron Weasley!  Hear lots and lots of applauds and cheering in the background.  But that was nothing compared to what he was about to pull off: getting the graal, saving his dignity and, of course, ending up with the girl.

"Need help carrying your books, Mione?"  He asked casually as they gathered their stuff before heading for the next class.

She eyed him suspiciously.  "Not really.  I'm used to carrying them all alone."

"You sure?  Because, you know, you've got an awful lot and my hands are empty…"  He insisted.

"Well, don't try putting them on your head, Weasel, or they might remain empty."

That voice, that snickering followed by gorilla laughter.  Who else could it be if not Mister bouncing ferret himself.  He turned around only to come face to face with no other than Draco Malfoy and his two bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Go manicure your nails, goldilocks."  Ron rolled his eyes.  He was in no mood for that.  He had a plan to achieve.

"Ron, just ignore him."  Hermione instantly cut in.  

"Maybe listening to your mudblood girlfriend would keep you out of the trouble, that is, if you're not man enough to stand on your own."  The viper spat.

"That never gets old with you, does it?  Always the same insults.  What Malfoy, have you lost your encyclopedia on how to be an harassing little Slytherin prat?"

Colour came to the usually so pale face of Draco Malfoy and he lurched forward to hit Ron.  When at lost from words, use your fists.  The Slytherin way of dealing with things.  Ron moved backwards, trying to avoid the fight.  It wasn't a good time, not so close to Snape's office.  Hum, since when did he think of those details?  Hermione must have rubbed off on him.  Speaking of Hermione, Ron suddenly felt himself backing into her and tripping on her foot.  He fell to the floor, bringing her  and her pile of books with him.  Conclusion of this encounter: a detention with Snape for disturbance, a way too happy ferret and a triumphing Ron!

While helping Hermione getting up from the ground and gathering her books, he had laid his hands on a certain something he had been intending to steal…  Okay, maybe the little viper could come in handy sometime… but not too often.

To be continued…

Well, hope this all makes sense 'cause it's late and my brain in only half-working.  Words are jumping all around.  Anyway, please please please, tell me what you think of it!


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